"Blacken the sky Can't stand to see the sun The truth of light Reveals the hatred that has won" – I Saw The End by Pallbearer

Diving deep into the dark and the occult are occult rockers Sleep Of Monsters who hail from Finland. Their newest release is titled II: Poison Garden. At first the album seems relatively accessible, but the more you listen the more you realize that each song delves deep into the darker realm of rock and leads you through some interesting soundscapes. There is no denying that this release is unique, and there is no denying that it is infectious even with how mysterious and and shrouded in deceptive darkness as it is.

There isn’t a song on this record that doesn’t work inside of your mind and infect you with devious occult rock parasites. Even though the tag for this band is occult rock instead of heavy metal, this album is still heavy in its own right. Instead of being heavy because of flaying riffs and tumultuous drumming, the heaviness stems from the atmosphere that Sleep Of Monsters supply. The atmosphere that is present within this album follows you around like a dreary cloud which you just can’t shake.

Whether you would like it to be or not, this anticipated sophomore effort from these Finnish natives is highly intoxicating and incredibly memorable. Within only a few listens every song will be playing through your head and you will be singing along with the vocalist. There is something about II: Poison Garden that takes a hold of you and roots itself deep in your mind. The song craft and the writing for each song and the great instrumentation is what keeps you compelled to keep listening over and over again.

Not only does Sleep Of Monsters play occult rock, but they incorporate horns, other stringed instruments and choral singing in each song to create variety, depth and plenty of atmosphere and feeling. Each of these elements is worked in seamlessly and only helps drive the album further as it creates wondrous soundscapes for the listener to wander through.

II: Poison Garden is filled to the brim with slick, fluid riffs, rhythmic drumming, solid bass lines, and soft yet powerful and hypnotic vocals. And as spoken of before are the horn instruments and the other stringed instruments as well as the choral singing that really bring everything to fruition. This album is cohesive and works together and each song works off the one previous, and with everything combined it makes for a good, unique and memorable listen.

This is a record that is compelling and infectious and makes you want to listen over and over again. If you are a fan of occult rock or just good rock in general, this is the album for you.